Family as a General Legal Structure

The paper is devoted to facilitation of essential features of the family, which could be the basis for its legal definition in the Family Code of the Russian Federation as a a general legal type concept. The author has analyzed different civilistic doctrinal approachers to such a possibility (impossibility), highlighted different variations of family unions, demonstrated problematic aspects of their legal existence or pretences for existence on the basis of parenthood when paternity is established in court proceedings, minor parenthood, surrogate motherhood, etc., as well as on the basis of a far from impeccable ground of gender diversity. The author notes the contradictory positions of the Russian law-maker regarding this matter: relying on traditional values, the latter, of course, does not tend to legalize unions between people with unconventional sexual orientation, but in some cases it seems to condone the opposite without establishing the legal effects of the acts and statements. In conclusion, on the basis of the assumptions developed under the family doctrine, the author proposes a composition of essential and legally significant features of the family, which will allow to design its general definition. As an assumption, the author suggests that one can be guided by the following draft definition: the family is an association of citizens who have a legal relationship regulated under family law (on the basis of marriage, parenthood and childhood, kinship, affinity, custody and/or guardianship, foster parenthood, adoption, dependance, etc.), live together and lead common household, have rights and obligations corresponding to thier family status; family membership is retained in case of temporary separation for good reasons.